As digital technology advances, civil trials are about to undergo drastic changes. It is vital to enhance the convenience of judicial procedures by establishing a system that people can use with a sense of reassurance.
To bring about the introduction of information technology into civil trials, the Justice Ministry's Legislative Council has submitted to the justice minister a draft outline of revisions to the civil procedure law. These changes would make it possible to complete the entire span of procedures online, from filing a lawsuit to receiving a ruling, according to the draft.
The current law requires that a complaint be filed on paper and that lawyers and others appear in court for oral arguments. Under the new system, lawyers and others will be able to file a lawsuit using electronic data and also participate in trials online from their offices.
